When an American met the BoyWhoLived
by WhiteTwitch
Summary: Harry meets an American girl and befriends her, or, rather, the other way around. She helps him get over his stupid selfpity and helps him during the summer. Then a dementor came... kinda Mary Sueish. which is why it's ON HOLD. HG RHr
1. Meetings and Pancakes

Disclaimer: Let's see, I'm blond, have blue eyes, 5"3, and go to high school in America. Of COURSE I'm J.K Rowling and I wrote Harry Potter in the AMAZING amount of time that I have between classes. Not.

A/N: Hello all. Or, actually, just you, the one person reading this. Hi! Yep, I'm done... read on!

Harry, having just been partially strangled by his uncle and yelled at for something he was sure- _sure_ came from a witch, wizard, or house-elf Apparating or Disapparating, was walking angrily, with his hands clenched, toward the park.

Absolutely nothing was right. Hermione and Ron- they pretended like they understood, but they couldn't! How _could_ they? And now they were brushing off his questions like he wasn't important anymore, when he, Harry, had been the one to face Voldemort, when he, Harry, had been placed under the Cruciatus Curse, and when he, Harry, had been the one to watch Cedric...

Harry's eyes welled up with unshed tears- and he held them back. HE couldn't think about that.

As Harry crossed Magnolia Crescent and into the park, his thoughts turned to another person- Sirius.

_Keep your nose clean and your head down_, his Godfather had told him. Harry, though frustrated at Sirius for that 'oh-so-helpful' bit of advice, had followed it so far- or at least, he had resisted the overwhelming temptation to just up and leave Little Whinging.

Harry sat down on the last swing that Dudley and his gang of pigs hadn't broken yet. They always stayed in or close to the park, Dudley's little 'gang', either beating up kids for fun or taunting girls.

And maybe that was the reason why Harry gravitated to the park that evening- maybe he was, subconsciously, looking for a fight, some way to relieve all that pent up angst.

Well, for whatever reason, Harry got his dose of drama, and in doing so changed two people's lives forever- his, and one other's... the someone that he'd meet that night...

For a few minutes after Harry got to the swing set, he become restless, and got up, intending to prowl the park a little bit before going back to Privet Drive.

The sun had all but set by then, and there was little light left. However, voices floated through the semi-darkness to reach Harry's ears.

"Fuck off, you assholes!" a female voice shouted.

"Who do you think you're talking to, you cunt?"

_Dudley's voice_, Harry thought grimly, and started sprinting to where he heard the voices.

"Hmm, let's see, well I mean the people standing in front of me who _dog-_whistled at me, let me describe them for you- dumb, ugly, fat, so... tell me, who am I talking to?"

Harry was appalled at the girl's gall. Usually, even people that could ordinarily take on Dudley alone wouldn't have said that, and now that he could see the figures, he could see that the girl couldn't have topped 5"5 (though she had a figure that suggested she was at least Harry's age) and next to Dudley and his gang she looked like a midget. And yet she seemed insistent on taunting them.

After a few seconds, Piers Polkiss, the only one in Dudley's 'gang' that wasn't enormous or particularly stupid, stepped forward menacingly and said, "Little whore, thinking she can talk to us like that."

The others, obviously used to listening to Piers, mumbled their agreements toward one another. Dudley, however, was furious and turned to the others. "I'll take care of this bitch."

The female, far from being intimidated, stepped forward, "Oh really, and what are you sissies gonna do about it?"

Harry, who had been watching, transfixed, suddenly started running towards them, intent on saving the girl from being brutalized. He knew that if Dudley got to her, she was no match for him whatsoever- and he knew Dudley would try to hurt her.

Harry was right. Enraged, Dudley didn't stop to think and ran forward bellowing with his fist raised to strike the girl. Harry, still about five yards away and still unnoticed by Dudley's gang who was watching eagerly for bloodshed, opened his mouth in what he intended to be a warning cry.

But the girl just grinned, and when Dudley got close enough, ducked, and pulled on his arm. Dudley fell to the ground hard.

"Huh, ya know what they say! The bigger they are, the harder they fall. And man, did you fall hard," the girl stated gleefully in her American accent that made the sentence sound so cocky.

Harry was horrified now- he knew that even if she _could_ take down Dudley, which was a feat in itself, there was no way that she'd be able to take on the whole gang. Eerily, he was reminded of Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

As Dudley got to his feet and started to charge again, Harry whipped by, grabbing the girl by the arm and tugging her along.

"What the-" the girl said, stumbling.

"Shut up!" Harry panted, "they'll kill you!"

Giving a little growl, the girl tugged her arm away and, though still running with him(Harry had to slow his pace for her), said, "Yeah yeah, whatever."

After running out of the park and making sure that they had lost the gang, Harry and his companion slowed.

After panting for a while, the girl straightened up and held out her hand to Harry.

"The name's Danny."

Surprised, Harry looked at the proffered hand and slowly reached out his own to shake hers.

"Harry."

Danny gave a half-smile and her eyes twinkled. From this perspective Harry could tell that she was about 5"3, shorter than him by a good three inches.

"Apparently this is how I make friends- starting fights."

"Erm, yeah, sorry about my cousin," Harry said sheepishly, looking downward.

Danny's eyes bugged out. "What? That pig was your cousin?"

"Yeah, I... erm... live with him, actually." Harry's head was all the way down, now.

As Harry looked up, Danny's face went through several emotions- shock, horror, sympathy, thoughtfulness, and then, last, mischievousness.

"Well there's a baddy in every family. With me it's an uncle- he's a lawyer."

Harry had to give a little laugh. Emboldened by the girl's sudden friendliness, Harry asked, "So, your American, right?" At the girl's nod, he continued. "So when'd you move here?"

The girl started to walk towards Privet Drive, and Harry followed, drawing up next to her.

"Well, actually, yesterday. My dad was all, 'Okay we're moving!' and I was like 'Where?' and he was like, 'England!'" She paused.

"Or, you know, something like tat. Anyway, so, here I am, land of the... erm... English," and there came the little half -smile.

"So how old are you?" Danny asked.

"Fourteen," Harry replied.

Danny brightened, then said, "Really? Are you gonna go to Stonewall?"

Harry shook his head, "Nah... I ... erm... go to boarding school."

"Aww crap, I finally make a friend and he's now even going to the same fuckin' school as me. That really bites."

Harry was surprised she already considered him a friend.

"Ah well," she continued, "we got all summer! Wanna come over tomorrow? The house is still a shithole and you gotta deal with my siblings-from-hell, but, whatever."

Taken aback by her offer, Harry stuttered an answer, "S-sure."

"Cool! Come around about eight, " the girl said happily, and then took a turn up the driveway that they had reached- Number 13 Privet Drive.

Harry's alarm woke him up at six o'clock the next morning, and Harry took the time before the Dursleys woke up to take a shower and eat a quick breakfast of cold cereal.

Apparently, Dudley hadn't recognized him last night, and Harry was very thankful for that- his aunt and uncle might have then forbid him to go anywhere if Dudley had told them about it.

So, after cleaning the dishes he had used and getting dressed in an outfit way too big for himself, he thought about the strange girl he had met yesterday. She had talked back to Dudley, and she hadn't even flinched when he attacked her... and what was perhaps the strangest thing of all, she wanted to be his friend.

_She'll probably not want to be friends anymore when she gets new ones,_ he thought glumly.

But then he considered her invitation to come over and thought, _well, it couldn't hurt, could it?_

And so Harry started out down the street to Danny's house.

At eight o'clock exactly (he had to wait on the doorstep for a bit, but hadn't wanted to be early), Harry rang the doorbell, and heard a great commotion inside.

"Honey, who is-"

"Who do we kn-"

"That's for me!" Harry heard Danny's voice.

But before she could get it-"DOOR!" yelled a childish voice, and the door opened to reveal what looked to be a five or six-year old, looking up at Harry.

The little boy had sandy blond hair and blue, innocent eyes.

"Hi," the little boy said.

Danny appeared behind the boy who was apparently her brother and said, "I see you've met Jimmy," with her patented half-smile.

At the name Harry's eyes widened, and he simply, and stupidly, as he would think later, said, "Oh."

As Harry came in and shut the door behind him, he saw the multitude of boxes, hundreds, that enveloped the downstairs.

Following Harry's gaze, Danny said wryly, "Yeah, we're not exactly unpacked yet." She scratched the back of her head with obvious amusement twinkling in her eyes.

Then, yawning, she said, "I haven't eaten yet, and my pancakes are just finishing, so we'll grab some and go up to my room."

As Harry started to protest that he had already eaten and didn't want to take their food, she started walking to the kitchen. Harry followed her, still protesting, and Danny stopped when she had gotten to the griddle where the pancakes sat and turned around to face him while a joking half-smile on her face.

"As my great-grandmother would say," here she put on a fake Italian accent, "you too skeenny- you need to eat! Whata dey feedin' you, eh? Ah make you some past, or some pancakes, eh?"

Danny laughed and Harry joined her, comforted by the fact that she didn't care, yet uncomfortable that she thought him so skinny.

After checking the pancakes, Danny threw back her head and yelled, "YO! PANCAKES ARE READY- COME DOWN IF YOU DON'T WANNA STARVE!" Which startled Harry so much that he jumped into the air.

Immediately after she yelled, Harry heard footsteps running down the stairs, to show a girl about Danny's height, and an older man who must have been her father. Jimmy, the child who had opened the door, was already seated at the table.

Danny took a huge stack of pancakes off of the enormous griddle, slid them onto a plate and set them down on the table.

As a younger girl came into the room, she said, looking at Harry, "Oooh, Danny's got a booooyfriend," which caused Harry to blush furiously- he really didn't think of Danny like that.

He started to protest, saying, "I'm not-"

But Danny cut him off saying, "Delia, remember, who makes your pancakes?"

Delia immediately said, "Sorry, sorry," and sat down at the table, exclaiming "Chocolate chip!"

As her father came in and eyed Harry, Danny said, "Back off Dad, he's not my boyfriend or whatever."

Looking a bit relieved, her father said hello politely, and then her mother, on her father's heel, said, "All right, but you really should be wearing something else, Danny."

Looking down, Danny shrugged- she was only wearing a T-shirt that barely came down to her knees.

"Whatever."

In the meantime, Harry stepped forward to her parents and stuck out his hand, introducing himself, "Harry, sir, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Her father looked shocked and then pleased, shaking his hand with a bright smile and saying, "You can call me Brian."

Then, turning to his daughter, said, "Maybe he _should_ be your boyfriend- he's polite!"

And with that he, too, turned to sit at the table for his pancakes.

Danny rolled her eyes and ladled the remaining eight pancakes onto a big plate, heading upstairs and motioning Harry to follow.

As they got to the stairs and started up them, however, Harry had to avert his eyes- he could see Danny's underthings!

They got to her room and she closed the door behind Harry, flopping onto her bed cross-legged and inviting him to do the same.

"Kick off your shoes," she said, "we're gonna be here for a while."

She took a pancake from the plate and said, "Go on, eat!"

So Harry took one hesitantly from the plate and started eating it slowly, then a lot faster as he found she made great pancakes.

Apparently happy that he liked her cooking, between bites of her pancake, she asked, "So, why do you live with the pig?"

Harry, having just finished his first pancake, looked downward uncomfortably, "I... erm... well, my parents died in a car crash and left me with my aunt and uncle who," he gave a bitter laugh, "don't exactly like me."

Harry braced himself for the pity, but Danny seemed unperturbed.

"Huh. That sucks," she said matter-of-factly, and then Harry laughed.

"What?" she said, surprised.

"Well, I've never really gotten that reaction before," Harry managed to say between laughs.

And with that, the proverbial ice was broken, and Harry spent the next hour talking about his life so far at his boarding school, and all his troubles, just... leaving out the magic part. He also noticed the fact that Danny continually was trying to get him to eat- first the pancakes, which he did, and then the various foods hidden around her room.

Then, when questioned about how she stood up to Dudley last night, Danny smiled wickedly.

"Well, you see, for the past three years I've attended karate, tae kwon doe, and aikido lessons. Then she snickered. "Of course, I couldn't exactly throw him, but I could pull him down!"

Harry laughed, and then she said, "I've actually already found a place where I could continue my instruction." Then she looked at him consideringly.

"Would you want to take it with me?" Then she grinned.

"Of course, with that hippo of a cousin, you might need it more then me!"

Harry laughed and said wryly, "Well, I would, but I'm a bit short on money- there's a bank, you see, with all of the money my parents left me, but I can't go there until a certain day- in about a few weeks."

Frowning, Danny said, "Hmmm, that sucks... maybe I could..." But then a light seemed to pop in her brain.

"Harry, I'll lend you the money and you can pay me back," she said firmly.

As Harry started to protest, she just repeated the sentence, easing his conscience by adding, "And it'll make it cheaper, because if there's more than one person then you get a discount.

Seeing Harry's stubborn expression, she added, "Think of it as a bribe to stay my friend."

Harry, about to protest at her comment, stopped as he saw her expression- the word 'joke' was practically written on her face. He accepted, vowing to himself that the first thing he would do would be to pay her back.

Danny appeared happy now and continued telling him about her life so far.

Apparently she was a budding prankster and, Harry thought, a lot like Sirius.

They went down and made lunch for themselves- simple sandwiches, and once again, took them up to her room.

Danny's sister was playing the piano, and had been playing the same song for about an hour. So, naturally, Danny was annoyed and took time to stop on the stairs and yell at her sister.

"Delia! Do you not know any other song! Jesus frickin Christ! And does it have to be Jingle Bells?"

But Delia just grinned, albeit a bit evilly, and said, "I do it ALL for you sister dearest!"

Ad so Danny continued up the stairs, mumbling about 'snot-nosed brats' and the like.

After about an hour more of talking, however, Danny got restless and said, "Well, how about we go see the karate place?"

When Harry agreed, she said, "Ok, just go outside the room for a second. I'll be right out."

And so Harry, carrying his current bag of chips, waited outside for her and she came out in shorts and a T-shirt proclaiming 'Metallica'. As they went downstairs, she grabbed a hoodie sweatshirt and a map of where the defense place was and yelling to her parents where they were going. Her parents gave her the money for the down payment on the lessons and Danny brought a little more for Harry- only five pounds more, as it was, because that was the special deal for siblings.

They walked about six blocks before coming to a rather small place in between a lot of different stores. They entered to see, to Harry's inexperienced eye, ten young kids in white clothing in front of a man with black clothing on.

Danny explained that the older man was the sensei, or teacher, and the kids were students.

Meanwhile the receptionist talked to Harry and Danny and took the money and their names down, also giving them the gis, the outfits that Harry had noticed the students wearing.

The sensei, after teaching the class, talked to them. He was a friendly-looking man with brown hair and green eyes, and he started the conversation by holding out his hand and saying, "Hello, as I understand, you are to study aikido," he said to Harry, "and you," turning to Danny, "are to be studying both aikido and jujitsu. I assume you have experience already?" He raised his eyebrow expectantly.

Danny, usually the jokester, was completely serious. "Yes sir," she replied.

"Good," he replied. Then he led them to a back room that was padded like the main training room, but only about one third of the size. Still, it could easily fit all three of them, with additional room to move around freely.

"I will now judge the level you should be trained on."

First he put Danny through her paces, first having her do twenty pushups, which she did easily, then throwing her to see if she could roll correctly (she could), and then put her to harder things.

By the time he was finished with her ten minutes later, she was sweaty and Harry was thoroughly impressed.

Then the sensei then had Harry tested, but this time all he did was see how many push-ups Harry could do without stopping. Harry could only do three completely. Harry's cheeks burning in embarrassment, but the sensei stated that it didn't matter and that he would build up muscle mass soon.

"However," the sensei said, "I recommend that you gain weight- it would be too easy for someone to pull you down in a fight if you do not. Also, you should both start running, preferably in the mornings, to increase your stamina. "

Harry and Danny nodded seriously, and had their lessons set at 8 o'clock on every day of the week except for Tuesdays and Sundays.

As the pair walked home, they set a schedule for themselves, so that every morning they'd get up before the sun rose and would run for two to three miles.

As Harry fell asleep that night he realized that he hadn't thought overmuch about Cedric or his 'friends' during the whole day. He still felt pains in his chest even thinking about the loss of what was a good human being from the world, but felt a budding happiness at the depression that he had shaken. And so that night, Harry fell asleep with a smile on his face.

I should end here... but I won't! Happy Birthday! =P

It on went for twelve days- Harry would get up, shower, get dressed in a pair of Dudley's old sweat he cut to be shorts and a T-shirt, and would go to Number 13 to pick up Danny.

After running two miles on days when they had martial arts and three on their 'off' days, they would go back to Danny's house and Harry would eat with Danny and sometimes her family if they were up by then or still in the house. Danny always made sure Harry ate until he was stuffed, hovering around him like a mother hen- actually, she kind of reminded him of the Weasley matriarch, and told her so. She swatted him on the head for that one.

After breakfast, the day would depend on where they went. If it was Tuesday or Sunday, then they'd usually watch a movie or just hang around (and on one memorable occasion they caught a bus into the city), or if it was a M.A day, as Danny called it, they would take their gis and headed over to the martial arts place where they would train from 9-11:30.

Then they'd head back to the Stoto household (Danny's house) and have a big lunch, as they burned off many calories training, and then, after Danny grabbed about ten bags of junk food (eight for Harry and two for herself), they would head off to explore Little Whinging, avoiding the Pig Gang, as Danny dubbed it, and just discovering places that they hadn't known about.

Lastly, they always ate at the Stoto household, and everyone there accepted him as, basically, a member of the family.

Harry could now do forty push-ups, and was doing good enough in aikido that sensei thought that if he kept up his progress then Harry'd be able to start jujitsu by the next week. Harry had also gained about eighteen to twenty-eight pounds- and had because of three factors. One, muscle mass, two, he was in a growth spurt and had, at last count, grown three inches, and the third being that Danny still watched over him, making sure he ate all he could, and stuffed him with carbs and the occasional fruit.

Harry had also stopped responding to any letters on Danny's advice- "Well if they aren't actin' like friends then forget 'em!- and consequently they sent more and more, though still useless. So, Harry, on one occasion, simply sent one phrase back to them. "Fuck you."

Hm. Danny was really rubbing off on him.

On the thirteentth day after he had met Danny, however, something happened. Something unexpected. Something odd. Something... I digress.

It was a Monday, and Harry and Danny went according to the normal schedule, until after Martial Arts.

"Gah, my butt bone is broken! I have a CONTUSION!"

Harry rolled his eyes good-naturedly. He was used to her complaining. He also knew not to respond, because the last time he did he was smacked- he was apparently just there for 'support'.

"Hmph. Why did he have to throw me so goddamn hard."

Harry started to laugh at the disgruntled expression on her face, but then froze. It had gotten cold- too cold.

He grabbed Danny's arm and pulled her into the alley on their left.

Danny had also felt the unnatural chill in the air, and whispered frantically, "Harry what's going on?"

Harry made a silencing motion by putting his finger to his lips and pleading with his eyes.

And then- it went dark. Horribly dark- the sun blanked out- like it wasn't even there. All the sound of the normal day was blocked out- the cars, the wind, all was gone. The two were in impossible, impenetrable darkness, like the alleyway had been cut of from the rest of the world and draped in an impossibly thick, black blanket.

"H-Harry?" Danny gripped Harry's arm in a vice.

The hairs on the back of the young wizard's neck were standing up, and goosebumps erupted on his arms.

No... not possible... he couldn't be here... not now, not in Little Whinging...

"Shh.." he whispered, and felt for his wand in his jean pocket. He grasped the hand , drawing it out, and then felt another sudden rush of chill air.

"Lumos!" The tip of his wand lit up, illuminating a towering, hooded figure, gliding towards them slowly...

He barely caught a glimpse of Danny, beside him, shivering and gazing exactly where the dementor was. Her voice took on a high pitch, "Harry? What is it? Harry? Harry?"

She barely registered the wand, and Harry had to ignore her cries, trying to concentrate on the task before him.

"_Expecto Patronum!"_

His voice sounded distant and weak, he could hear his Voldemort's cruel, high-pitched laugh almost perfectly now. _Have... something ...happy..._

The dementor's hands were on his throat, he knew he'd never again see the light of day... and then human hands cut across the dementors, a voice, not his own, screaming, "Noooooooo!" and the dementor being shoved back a couple of feet by what looked to be a purple force.

Harry, regaining his senses, looked at Danny, now standing next to him, in shock, who, though still looking terrified, also looked determined.

He couldn't give up, had to protect this girl, this girl who he had befriended... he had to...and gathering up his strength and remaining happiness he cried, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

An enormous silver stag leapt out of his wand, prongs catching the dementor in the midsection and tossing it back, in the air. Defeated, the creature turned and flew, bat-like, into the air and away from Little Whinging.

Harry couldn't believe it... dementors? In Little Whinging? The sun had came back now, and Harry grabbed Danny's arm, urging her on.

"Come on, we've got to go..."

Danny stumbled and then started sprinting, Harry drawing up alongside her.

"Your... house," he panted, still running on the adrenaline from the close escape.

They got to the Stoto household, luckily no one was home, Harry hurried and unlocked the door with his key (Danny always managed to lose hers so she had given him one) and the two raced up to Danny's room.

After running onto her bed and curling up in the fetal position for a few seconds, she uncurled herself and sat hugging her knees to her chest after fishing a sweatshirt off of the floor and throwing it on.

"What... the fuck... was that thing?" Danny's voice was shaky.

Harry had been staring at his feet dumbly, but his head snapped up and turned to look at Danny. Though she had said she had seen it, he hadn't registered it until now.

"You... saw that?"

Danny's voice, regaining it's usual pitch and sarcastic sound, said, "Hm, let's see, tall, dark, and NOT so handsome? Yep. What the hell was it? And what is that?" She pointed at the wand Harry still held in his hand.

Harry looked down at his wand, surprised. He had forgot about it. Harry took a calming breath.

"Okay, I'm going to tell you a lot of stuff you may think is crazy, but please, just listen. And answer this one question. You know that force field thing that pushed it back?" She nodded.

"Was- was that you?" Harry asked.

Danny looked uncertain, then, "I... I think... I don't know." she looked down at her hands.

"All I remember is after seeing ... it ... choke you, I pushed its hands away and just... I just wanted it to go away... " Her eyes lit up, as if talking about a precious memory.

"And I just... pushed it out... like it was instinct... I don't know."

"Accidental magic," Harry breathed.

Danny perked up. "Did you say magic? As in, bibbity bobbity boo?"

Harry looked confused, and Danny waved her hands. "Forget it."

"Erm, well, anyway, you know how I told you how I went to a boarding school? It's actually a magic school."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "No shit."

It was more of a question then an answer. Harry took it as a signal to continue.

"Yeah. All of the people I told you about were real, though. Their personalities, too. Like Draco Malfoy? Arsehole, and prejudiced, too. Just, not racially, but with blood. Like my friend Hermione, she's muggleborn, which means her parents are muggles, and Malfoy calls her a 'mud-blood', which is a very derogatory name for a muggelborn witch or wizard. Malfoy and his type- the evil git type, that is, only consider you worthwhile if you've got magic bloodlines and heads stuck up as far up their arses as themselves."

Even though she was a bit PO'ed he hadn't told her before about all of this, she still had to smirk at some of his comments. She was really rubbing off on him.

"But, getting back to what I brought this up for..." Harry hesitated, looking anxious, until Danny, in her impatience, snapped her fingers in front of him.

"Yo! Potter, come on!"

"You're a witch."

"Thanks, love you too hon."

Harry blushed.

"I mean as in, magic," he explained.

"Huh," Danny said thoughtfully. Then, grinning, she said, "I'll need a hat."

A/N: You! I see you! That is a horrible habit, not reviewing. I BEG! PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAfAASE review!


	2. Evil Owls and the Ministry

Disclaimer: This is all mi- SHOCK- OW! Christ! OK, OK, it's NOT mine, good?

A/N: Read on, my dear reader!

The hours following the incident- or, as Danny came to call it, 'The day when the freaky thing tried to eat us'- Harry was much more open with Danny as he told her about what really went on at Hogwarts.

He told her about the houses, about his adventures, about how Snape had hated him, and about the marauders- so many things that he had wanted to tell her before, but couldn't.

In a way, he was kind of happy that the dementor had come, because then he didn't have to lie to Danny anymore. Harry had just started telling Danny about his fourth year when they were interrupted.

_Tap tap tap._

Harry stopped talking, and Danny looked around, confused, when their eyes alit on the window, where an owl was fluttering, tapping at Danny's window.

Danny grinned- she had only ever heard of the owls that delivered letters- then looked at Harry for confirmation that she could get it. He nodded, her enthusiasm making him grin.

Danny swung off of the bed, literally ran over to her window, and pulled at it. It wouldn't budge, and after two more tries, Danny was getting increasingly frustrated.

"Fucking- window- just-" she panted, pulling with all her might.

Harry looked up and then started laughing, and when Danny turned to look at him he merely pointed to the top of the window- it was locked.

Amused, though annoyed, she unlocked the window and let the bird in, all the while muttering about 'stupid locks and friends that laughed at you'.

The screech owl flew to Harry, dropped a letter on his lap, and flew away, pausing to alight on the sill and hoot somewhat angrily at Danny, who had tried to grab it.

Harry's eyes widened as he thought about what the letter held. In all the excitement about Danny being a witch he had forgotten… he looked down at the letter with trepidation.

Harry tore open the letter as he felt his heart pounding somewhere in the region of his adam's apple.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at three minutes past twelve this morning in a Muggle-inhabited area.

The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your residence shortly to break your wand.

As you have already received an official warning for a previous offense under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 A. M on August 12th.

Hoping you are well,

Yours sincerely,

Miranda Hopkirk

IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE

_Ministry of Magic_

Harry stared blankly at the letter, and inside he was numb. When Danny started asking him what was in the letter, he merely looked up at her uttered the one sentence that penetrated his consciousness.

"I'm never going back."

Danny's eyes widened, and she snatched the letter from his grasp, and as she skimmed over it quickly, her eyes narrowed.

"The bastards," she hissed through clenched teeth.

Harry had been considering life on the run- he wasn't about to get his wand broken!- when he heard Danny speak.

He looked up at her, eyes containing hopelessness, and Danny wanted to rip out the fucking bastards' heart that would dare to do that to her best friend.

"Harry I-"

But she was cut off when another owl, this time a barn owl, swooped in and shook its leg, to which a rolled up letter was attached, in Harry's face.

Astounded, Harry reached out and took it, and the owl flew off instantly.

He unrolled the piece of parchment, unaware of Danny's stare, and he read the sloppy words in black ink that were obviously written in a hurry.

_Harry-_

_Dumbledore's just got to the Ministry, and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE. DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND._

Arthur Weasley

Harry felt a grin form on his face as Danny grabbed the parchment and over-read it, smiling in smug satisfaction. She gave her head a little nod and said, "Arthur Weasley, huh? Good guy. Dumbledore? Still wanna kill him for landing you with the pigs, but he just earned himself some brownie points."

Harry was now grinning like mad. He was still worried, but there was hope.

Then Danny turned grave again and looked Harry squarely in his eyes. "I'll testify, Harry. I'll testify, and then we'll sue the fuckers!"

Harry just grinned and smirked, saying, "You can't sue them- they're the ministry!"

Deflating, and looking disappointed, she muttered a put-out, "Meh."

"Wait! We can give an interview about it, and then the news will be with you! That's what we'll do!"

Harry looked stunned, and then tried to say, "No, but we couldn't, we-"

But Danny cut off his protests with , "Harry, stop being so naïve! From what you've told me, if you don't do it, they will!"

Harry hesitated, and that was when another owl came in.

Danny flung her hands up in the air and protested, "OK! Bloody owls aren't so fucking cute anymore!"

The owl, looking almost identical to the first one Harry had received, dropped the letter on his lap.

Harry opened it quickly, seeing the Ministry seal on it and wanting to know his fate. Meanwhile, Danny was busy ranting at the 'idiot person who invented owl post'.

After the envelope had been torn open and discarded (along with the other envelopes that now riddled Danny's floor), Harry scanned the letter. It read:

Dear Mr. Potter,

Further to our letter of approximately twenty minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wand until your disciplinary gearing on 12th August, at which time an official decision will be taken.

Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time. You should therefore consider yourself suspended from school pending further inquiries.

With best wishes,

Yours Sincerely,

Miranda Hopkirk

IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE

_Ministry of Magic_

Harry read the letter three times in succession, and then he whooped with joy, springing up from his position on the bed.

Danny grabbed the piece of crisp yellow parchment from the floor where it had fallen and skimmed it quickly.

"More brownie points for Bumbles," she sing-songed, and Harry, laughed outrageously at her new nickname for the renowned Headmaster.

"You know you can't actually call him that, right?" Harry asked once he had calmed down.

Danny merely grinned in answer and said, "Now would I do that?"

Harry smirked.

"Hell yes you would."

Danny grinned, and then reached up to pat the top of his head, having to almost extend her arm all the way, and said, "Good. You're learning."

Harry grinned so hugely that all of his teeth showed, and then said, "Yes, and I'm also growing."

He took a moment to savor the warning look on her face before adding, "Midget."

Danny, of course, was not the kind of person to take such a remark, and so lunged at Harry.

Harry had been anticipating this and ducked, and would have made it unscathed if he had only been an inch smaller.

And so, it was with a sore arm that Harry stood up a few seconds later, with Danny who had sprung up a few seconds before.

She gave a wicked smile, saying , "Hah. So there, being short is cool."

She paused for a moment, and then added, "And midgets have to be under five feet. So there."

It was lucky that, just then, her back was turned from the window, because if she had seen what was coming, the window would've been shut in the poor creature's face.

However, that was just not to be, and so yet another owl flew in the still opened window to drop a piece of parchment on Harry's lap.

Danny saw owl and just before it flew out the window she let out an utterly terrifying sound of exasperation and frustration- the result was a sort of howl, like you'd hear from a wolf.

This letter was short, and to the point. Harry still detested it nonetheless.

_Arthur's just told us what's happened._

_Don't leave the house, whatever you do._

For the same reason Hermione and Ron's letters annoyed him, so did Sirius' untidy scrawl- they had left him at the Dursleys, never mind the fact that he wouldn't have met Danny if they hadn't.

Danny, after reading the letter, drew her lips back, showing her teeth, and growled at the letter.

"You'd fucking come get him if you were so fucking worried you fucker!" Danny said angrily, crumpling the letter into a ball in her hands and throwing it in the direction of the wastebasket(it didn't make it in).

Harry, now that he had Danny to be angry for him, was amused, though grateful for her anger on his behalf.

"Didn't know you could use so many variations of that word," he said cheekily.

"Oh, shut up," she grumbled, but a smile crept onto her face.

Suddenly, unbidden, a realization slammed into Harry.

"Danny the dementors- it's Voldemort."

Harry had clammed up and turned chalky white.

The petite girl looked at him, concerned. Then she cracked a smile, saying, "Well, if that's the best he's got..."

She glanced over at Harry and was rewarded with a shaky smile.

But then, registering what he had said, she became confused.

"But, you said that he wasn't powerful…"

Harry was confused, "What do y- oh, right, I didn't get to tell you, at the end of the Triwizard Tournament, he used my blood to come back to life."

Danny's eyes widened, and she breathed out, "That bitch…"

Harry laughed, finally breaking the mood. That wasn't the usual reaction that that particular statement evoked.

But then Harry and Danny sobered as they both thought for a moment, contemplating what this might mean.

Danny asked him to go over everything that had happened since he had gotten to the Dursleys', and Harry obliged, starting with Hermione and Ron's useless letters, including his having to hide to listen to the news, and then Danny stopped him when he told her about the gunshot-like sound that had shocked him into revealing himself to his aunt and uncle.

"Harry! You're an idiot! Come on, that sounds exactly as you explained Apparition to me!" Harry had, when explaining about the magical aspects of Hogwarts, obviously had to fill her in a little on details of magical culture, including Fred and George's Apparating all over their house.

Danny, while Harry was contemplating that there might be a witch or wizard that had been watching him- he was pretty sure that no witch or wizard lived in Little Whinging besides himself and Danny- began to pace, thinking aloud.

"It's obviously a witch or wizard, but-"

"I'm pretty sure that you and I are the only magical beings in Little Whinging," Harry said, "Dumbledore wouldn't let anyone else live here that might know me."

Danny nodded and amended her theory.

"OK, then there are only two choices. Either old Bumbles has got someone following you or it's a bad guy."

Harry's eyes had narrowed, for he knew that it couldn't be a Death Eater, as they would have killed him by now.

After voicing this to Danny, he seethed, "This is just like the old man, doing that without telling me…"

Danny was equally unimpressed with Dumbledore. She showed her displeasure by again growling.

Then, a malicious smile came across her face.

"Harry, we'll trick him, you see, they won't be able to track you if…"

And for a few minutes she explained her plan to him, ending with, "And all we have to do is wait for the Hogwarts letters."

Harry, excited by her idea, reciprocated with a smirk of his own by saying, "They arrive tomorrow."

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is rather short, I just had to end it where I did… *grin

PLEASE review! If I get four reviews I'll update in a week!


	3. Delivery

Disclaimer: Why do people use these? Honestly, if J.K Rowling had an amazing idea or w/e, then wouldn't she use it in her book? Stupid lawyer people.… Anyway, not mine, not mine, yaddayaddaya

A/N: Well… I got four reviews- but it took at least two and a half to get them. So, not my fault! Okay, also the school and being banned from the comp didn't help, but… anyway, I wrote a long chapter, so… READ AND ENJOY!

* * *

Harry woke up in his small bed on number 4 Privet Drive, and sat up.

Blinking wearily, he reached for his glasses and put them on, his eyes focusing on what had previously just been blobs of creamy white color.

They were, in fact, the many notes of apologies and begs for forgiveness and understanding that Hermione and Ron had sent him.

There had only been one from Sirius, saying that Sirius was a bit bored, how about Harry?

When Harry had shown Danny that particular letter she took great pleasure in lighting it on fire (on her oh-so-precious stove). She then grinned and started hopping around, laughing maniacally.

After being a bit frightened, and telling his friend that she was, quite frankly, insane, she had asked him why he was just realizing that.

Harry got up and put on the running clothes that he had acquired from Brian, Danny's father, who was very much in favor of keeping fit, and thought it wonderful that Harry motivated his daughter so. Harry had protested, but Brain merely said he'd throw them away if Harry didn't take them.

As Harry was tucking his wand into a loop that he'd sewn into the pants, he remembered suddenly that, today being Danny's birthday, she'd get her letter.

As Harry raised his hand to knock on the door, Danny opened it.

"You're too punctual," she muttered sleepily.

And it was true. Every day at exactly 5:30 Harry would come over- no time sooner, nor after. This annoyed Danny to no end, as she was the exact opposite, and only kept to time restraints because she was constantly with Harry.

Danny, not looking back to see if Harry would follow, jogged ahead to the sidewalk.

Harry smiled fondly at her actions, the same every day, as one would at a child, and shouted after her while jogging to catch up, "Happy Birthday!"

As she lengthened her stride on the immediate downhill, Danny smiled.

Danny and Harry came pounding back to the house the last stretch of their run neck in neck, both feeling the adrenaline coursing through their veins. This was a ritual- they'd race to the house. As they came to the last few feet, however, Harry pulled forward and then, when he had reached the house, jumped up in jubilation.

"Yeah!" he shouted, smiling hugely.

After she caught her breath, for though she excelled at cross-country, she wasn't even half as good with sprinting, Danny looked on happily- she always lost anyway- and thought about just how glad she was of Harry.

She walked past him and punched his arm playfully, not even pausing as she walked up to the house.

"Hey!" Harry complained, but as soon as he was out of her line of vision, he grinned in anticipation of the surprise that awaited inside the house.

Harry came up behind Danny as she grabbed the key from under the doormat(he had claimed to have 'forgotten' his at the Dursleys'), unlocked the door, and pushed it open-

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

She grinned so widely that her pointy canines(Harry had had notions that she was a vampire the first time he'd seen that smile) showed and Harry followed behind her, grinning at his friend's surprise. The family had let him in on the event, as Danny hadn't told him (he suspected because she didn't want him to feel obligated to have to buy her a present).

Her brother, sister, and parents were all there, waiting with her Danny's second favorite choice in breakfast food- bagels.

As Jimmy ran into the kitchen, screaming something about he wanted the brown bagel, Danny hugged her parents and sister, and then turned to Harry.

With an unreadable expression on her face, Danny advanced toward Harry slowly.

"So, Harry," she started, looking him in the eye, "you knew about this all and didn't tell me?"

Harry nodded slowly- he was confused. Was Danny angry at him? He stood awkwardly in the doorway, but all his doubts were cleared up when she threw herself on him in an extremely odd display of affection.

It was over quickly, and Harry was stunned- Danny wasn't the physical type.

She gave him a smile and said, "Thanks Harry! Now let's go get bagels!"

And with that she turned and bounded into the kitchen after her family, who had left after she had hugged them.

Harry grinned and, after taking his shoes off, jogged after Danny into the kitchen. When he saw the table, however, he nearly smacked himself. He had forgotten her present back at the Dursleys!

"Harry!," Danny called from her seat, "come on! What the hell are you doing just standing there?"

Harry's mind scampered around frantically for an answer.

"I… erm… left my toothbrush at number four! Yes, I, erm, can't eat without my toothbrush," Harry said, voice a bit higher pitched that usual.

Harry went back outside and, forgetting even to put back on his shoes, ran to the Dursleys. He ran around the back of the house and opened the door.

As Harry got in the house, he saw Uncle Vernon slouching on the couch in the next room over, watching the telly and eating his usual enormous breakfast.

Before his Uncle could see him, however, he bounded up the stairs (skipping the creaking step) and into his room. Dropping to the floor, Harry reached his arm under the bid and pried open the loose floorboard where he had hidden Danny's gift.

Drawing it out, he looked at it and remembered all the time he had spent making it- it was simple, and he planned on getting her another when they went to Diagon Alley, but until then it was all he had to give- he hoped that she liked it.

Shaking himself from his brief reverie, he once again dashed down the stairs, only this time so focused was he on getting out of the house that he tripped over a tape cassette player that Dudley had left on the stairs!

Stumbling, he caught himself before he could fall, but put his full weight on the creaky step, alerting his Uncle to his whereabouts.

Sticking his walrus-like face out of the living room, Uncle Vernon shouted, "Boy!"

But Harry was out of the house before he could say anything else, clutching the present like someone from that American Muggle football that Danny's parents liked so much.

Harry arrived in front of her house, his breathing sped up a little, as he stepped back into the house- he hadn't closed the door on the way out.

He closed the door and then walked into the kitchen, smiling excitedly.

Danny saw him and said, teasing, "Oh, Harry, got your toothbrush, huh?"

At his discomfort she grinned.

"So what where you _really_ getting?" Delia piped up.

"Your not exactly the best liar, Harry," Brian (Danny's father) said laughingly.

Drawing closer to the table, he mumbled something under his breath that nobody could hear.

But before anyone could ask him what he had said, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Harry and Danny were instantly on the alert- funny how it didn't occur to them until later that Death Eaters or Dementors weren't likely to knock on the door- and Harry tucked his gift into his sweatshirt pocket and put his hand on his wand.

Before Cathy or Brian could get the door (or Jimmy), Danny jumped up, with Harry following closely behind her, and ran to the door. With everyone except for Jimmy and Delia at the door, Danny opened it- to reveal none other then the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Hello?" Danny's father asked in a form that was almost like a question rather than statement.

"Hello," the man that Harry and Danny knew as Dumbledore answered back, "fine morning, hmm?"

While Danny's mother informed him that, no, he could not come in, as they did not know him, Danny stared at him with her eyes narrowed, ice in them, and a low, menacing growl coming from her throat.

Harry just looked on with one eyebrow raised, though a shiver went down his spine as he heard Danny growl- she did that only when very vexed or angry, and to him at was as scary as it would be coming from the wolves that she so admired.

Dumbledore was surprised. Harry hadn't told them? And why was Harry standing there with an almost chilly look on his face, while the girl was- growling at him? What had Harry told her? This was something the Headmaster had never had happen before. Inwardly he sighed, but all the while kept a beneficial soft smile on his face.

"I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Dumbledore said, now twiddling his thumbs.

Cathy, Danny's mother, was angry- she had a quick temper when it came to nonsense.

"Excuse me-" she started to say, but was cut off when Harry interjected.

"It's true."

Brian and Cathy looked at him in disbelief, and then looked at each other skeptically.

But before they could voice their opinions, Danny said, "Umm, Mom? Dad? He's kinda not lying."

"Now Danny-"

"I saw him do magic, and if you don't believe me just indulge me for a bit and let the guy come in," said in an I'm-right-deal-with-it tone of voice.

Cathy worked her jaw, but Brian had already shrugged- it was an old guy anyway, the father figured- what harm could he do, even if he did turn out to be a kook?

After Brain let Dumbledore in, Cathy closed the door, though everyone could obviously see that she was eyeing him warily.

But before Dumbledore could say anything, Danny said, "Okay, buddy, just show 'em some magic first, or else expect the Inquisition."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the bit of humor, choosing to ignore the still cold expression on the petite girls' face.

"As you wish," Dumbledore said, and flicked his wand at a table against the wall in the hallway, causing it to combust.

Cathy looked at the table in horror, shouting angrily, "What the fuck is-"

But before she could finish, Dumbledore merely waved his wand again and it was as if the flames that had seconds before licked the wood had never been there.

Cathy looked beyond shocked, but Brain, being the laid-back person that he was, merely asked, "Harry?"

Looking down, Harry felt horrible about keeping secrets from the wonderful people that had been like a second family to him.

"I go to school there," he said to the floor.

During the momentary pause during which the family's attention was turned on Harry rather than on himself, Dumbledore was able to acknowledge Harry's much changed appearance.

In the few weeks since the minders had reported the 'unnerving' friendship that Harry shared with the American girl, he had changed from a rather small and underfed-looking boy to a healthy looking young man. For a second, Dumbledore felt ashamed, knowing that he would have probably looked like this long since had he not lived with such neglectful guardians. He swiftly reminded himself of the mantra that was beginning to wear thin- 'it was for the greater good.'

Then the two non-magical adults turned their inquiring gaze on Danny and Dumbledore was drawn out of his reflection.

She looked them straight in the eye as if daring them to be angry with her, "Harry told me because dementors-bad guys- came after us, and he repelled them."

Dumbledore, for once, was unable to keep a composed face.

"When was this?" he asked sharply.

Danny turned to Dumbledore, seeming almost glad for a reason to be angry at him.

"Yesterday. Your guards didn't really help all that much, now did they?" she asked snidely.

With a light frown on his face, he stated dryly, "No, apparently not."

Danny's mother seemed to then be regaining some control, because she said, "What are dementors, then?"

Harry spoke up then, saying quietly, "They feed on happiness, take all joy and good memories away and make you feel like you want to die."

Danny smirked. Just a little. Okay, it was a really big smirk.

"Not dramatic at all, are we Harry?"

Harry broke into his first smile since the Headmaster came to the door and the Headmaster himself looked on with interest.

"So why are you here then…"

"Albus Dumbledore. And I am here because your daughters, Danny and Delia Stoto, are witches."

"Wait!- Delia too? What the fuck?" Danny had apparently never even thought of her annoying sister going to Hogwarts.

Dumbledore merely nodded his head, pale blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

"YES- oof-"

Everyone's head whipped around to look at the kitchen doorway, where Delia had, moments before, fallen out. She had apparently been bracing herself on the doorway, and had fallen when she had thrown them into the air.

After a few raised eyebrows, everybody turned their attention back to the conversation at hand.

"But Harry is Danny's age and apparently he already goes… why is that?"

Everyone (besides Delia, who was doing a victory dance) looked at Dumbledore- why was this indeed?

Inclining his head and looking as if he had expected the question, Dumbledore answered, "The year that she would have received her letter- 1991, that is- was the year that the Salem Institute of Magic had a strike- almost none of the letter got out to those with non-magical parents that year."

"What you _would_ have gotten," the Headmaster told Danny, "was this."

And with a flourish, he pulled an envelope with her name and residence on it from seemingly nowhere, and then another one for Delia, which she came over and eagerly accepted.

Danny acknowledged him with a frosty nod. Delia, meanwhile, simply ripped open her envelope, and, squealing, read the contents inside.

Turning back to the Stoto parents, he said formally, "The train leaves for Hogwarts at eleven from King's Cross, Platform nine and three quarters."

Still looking a bit dazed from the new information, Cathy just nodded, while Brian turned to get Jimmy, who just came ambling out of the kitchen.

Delia, after giving the Headmaster a shy glance, ran up the stairs, and Cathy went to Brian to discuss the matter that had just arisen.

Then Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"Before I take my leave, may I have a word, Harry?"

Meddling old man. Trying to get her to leave- she'd show him.

"I know everything that Harry does, so by all means, go on, _sir_," she put a sarcastic spin on the last word while keeping a sickly sweet smile on her face.

Turning to Harry, Dumbledore saw that he would agree with Ms. Stoto and sighed inwardly.

"Very well. Harry, in two days time you will be going to Headquarters. The day after you arrive your hearing will take place."

How was he going to face this alone? Harry mused. All of the summer (or, almost all) he had had Danny to help him get by… She hadn't even abandoned him when he had told her about it being, basically, his fault that Cedric had died. In fact, when he had voiced that opinion, she had punched him. It had kind of hurt, actually.

But having to go to the place where he would finally have to see Ron and Hermione again- the friends who he had thought were loyal to him- and Sirius, whose flippant letters still stung, was definitely not his idea of fun.

Danny could see the indecision on his face, and guessed what it was about.

"Fine," she said, stepping up and looking at Harry.

"But I'm coming."

Far from being angry, Harry sent a smile her way and nodded at Dumbledore his consent.

A benign smile was on the old man's face as he nodded and said, "Yes, and I'm sure it would help- Ms. Granger can help you with your studies."

Face twisting in contempt for the girl who was supposed to be Harry's friend, yet caused him so much pain, she gritted out a, "Deal," through her clenched teeth.

"I will now bid you good bye," the Headmaster said with a smile, and a twinkle in his light blue eyes.

And with that, he promptly Disapparated.

The two teenagers looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

…

"Well then."

* * *

Later, up in Danny's room eating the bagels that they had never gotten to eat before, Harry dropped his bagel as he remembered something.

"Oh!"

Danny watched with curiosity written on her face- what the hell was Harry doing?

It was then that he drew a wooden amulet on a leather thong out of his pocket, the amulet bearing a howling wolf carved into its surface.

Danny gasped and looked at it with shining eyes, and then pounced on Harry, squeezing him tightly in a humungous hug.

Drawing back quickly, she gave him a grin as she grabbed it from his fingers and slipped it over her head.

"It's awesome!" She declared, admiring it laying on her chest.

Harry mumbled, saying, "No, it's really-,"

"Harry, shut up. I like it. Get over it."

Harry smiled shyly as Danny asked, "Did you make this yourself?"

Harry nodded.

Danny shook her head, saying, "nice."

"Anyway," the blonde continued, waving her hand around in front of her face as if to clear the air, "back to business!"

She leaned in and, in a conspiring voice, said, "So, tomorrow, we'll have to cancel our lessons, of course, I'll do that, but we'll do it tomorrow. I'll tell my parents we're going to go do a bit of shopping."

Harry grinned.

"My only wish is that I could see their faces."

FIN

A/N: lols guys I hope that was long enough too keep you from beating me up- smiles nervously

Next Chapter:

The plan is pulled off, That's all your gonna know.. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!


	4. A Mary Sue? Author's Note

**Disclaimer**: I am proud to say that all of the sentences in the following paragraph are MINE!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

**A/N**: A-hah! OK, guys, I have to clear up something. Seriously, I have gotten two reviews saying that Delaney is too much of a Mary-Sue. Don't worry. As I responded to one person, she has major anger issues. She has a whole shitload of issues, actually. She's stubborn, determined, and kind of petty. Oh, and you're going to see some imperfections in a few chapters- physically when she is compared to Ginny and Hermione, and magical when she finds she's not that great at some stuff that isn't improved by her not studying or working particularly hard- especially b/c she gets frustrated when she can't get something. She gets jealous, as you'll see, but is always loyal. ALWAYS! Oh, and the aikido and karate? She had taken it for a few years in America, and had also boxed, which might come up in a few chapters.

Socially inept with others her age? Yeah, a lot of people are going to end up hating her, including Hermione and Ginny (in the beginning). But sorry about the Malfoy thing- it's gonna happen!

(Oh, and one more thing- Dudley would have flattened her if she hadn't moved ASIDE and just gave a little tug on his hand- it was the first thing that my Dad taught me, because his big brother used to rush at him and I'm short and people DEFINETELY would flatten me if they, say, jumped on me or something.)

(Oh- and I will try to make her stop cussing so much- hits character STOP!!)


	5. SeeThrough Shirts and Hair

A/N: Some have commented on Danny's aikido and karate abilities. Keep in mind, she had been doing it in America for a few years, it's not like she's just like, "Oh, karate and aikido! Oooh! I can do a triple kick- double punch combination!" But Danny's character also loves to fight naturally, she loves to just go at something, which makes her aggressive and easily riled.

* * *

Harry woke up the day that he and Danny had planned to sneak away feeling decidedly depressed. He had just dreamt of Cedric for the first time since meeting Danny and it felt like a horrid wake-up call. He just felt that the whole sneaking away thing was childish compared to what was going on in the real world.

Ah well. Danny had been really looking forward to this- she seemed to have a greater resentment toward his minders than he himself. Not that he didn't like her loyalty, oh, quite the opposite, actually, he valued it! But- it just seemed that it lacked importance. Truthfully, Harry had been living in a bubble, if you will, for the summer, or, all the time he had known Danny. It was time to begin immersing himself in the real world again. Well, after today anyway.

He finished putting on his running gear and laced up his trainers and lightly sprung down the stairs to the door. Opening it he caught a spray of a light rain in his face.

_Hope Danny brought an umbrella._

He jogged to Danny's house. She was waiting for him at the door, on their covered stoop, with her face resting on her legs and- sleeping?

Harry smirked. Gleefully, he poked her, saying, "Well, hullo!" when she opened her eyes.

Of course, then he promptly had to dodge one of her hands, sweeping like a lion's paw would to lazily hit a misbehaving cub.

Groggily she lifted her head.

"Gah! Good for nothing street rat!"

Then, after seeing Harry's confused face, she considered her words and smiled sheepishly.

"Okay, you know I'm not fully awake when I start quoting Disney movies."

When she saw Harry's still blank face she waved it aside.

"Never mind."

Harry supposed it was a reference to another one of those animated videos that Danny liked to watch. And, he had to admit, they were pretty entertaining, especially the one with animated toys.

Then Danny picked up her knapsack, which had been lying beside her, and started to jog slowly. Harry kept pace with her, and after jogging for a while she jerked her head sideways. They were in the park and under the protection of some elm trees. Were Danny had motioned her head was a little path, one that one would be unable to see unless one was under the trees in that part. It was a dirt path and about three feet wide, by Danny's estimation.

Counting to three in his head, Harry sprinted off down the path, with Danny not far behind.

They pounded down the path until coming to a fork. Harry stopped and looked at Danny.

She pointed with her finger left, apparently too tired to talk, and Harry jogged down the path, which came to a construction site.

Harry looked around, not sure why she had brought them there, and Danny came up behind him.

"There are bathrooms around the back."

They went around to the back of the construction site and found two small, Johnny-on-the-spots. Harry looked at Danny strangely, but she just shrugged and handed him his change of clothes from her knapsack.

Inside the portable bathroom it was dark, smelly, and there was almost no space to move around in- all in all it wasn't much better than being outside in the steadily increasing rain.

To neither of the teens' surprise, Harry was done first. He had clothes on that he had given to Danny the day that they had formulated the plan. They were simple, the jeans very baggy ones of Dudley's (with his wand in his back pocket), though from when Dudley was in fourth form, and a plain black polo- the only 'normal' shirt that he owned.

Danny came out after about four more minutes. She was scowling terribly, and when Harry asked what was wrong, she simply scowled deeper and held out her shirt. Harry couldn't see anything about it except the fact that it was white, with a V-neck, and said so.

Danny clenched her jaw and said in a frustrated tone of voice, "OK, Harry, now tell me what happens to a _white_ shirt when it gets wet."

Harry was still confused.

"It gets..." Harry trailed off as he understood. And then he burst out laughing.

"Jerk!" Danny yelled as she shouldered the knapsack, folded her arms over her chest, and started walking around to the front of the house.

Harry was snorting now, unable to suppress his laughter completely as he caught up with Danny and saw her now petulant expression.

"I'm- sorry," he choked out between snorts.

Which, of course, was _totally _believable. Not.

But, still, Danny was unable to control a slight twitch of her lips, which turned into laughing.

"All right, it's funny," Danny conceded, "but I'm watching you!" She made a motion with her two fingers, pointing first at her own eyes and then Harry's.

Then, they continued on, rambling incessantly about life at Hogwarts and what it would be like for Danny. Harry talked about the pureblood supremacy (Danny declared adamantly that she would 'kick anyone's ass' who called her a mudblood), about Snape and how he hated Harry, and about the professors in general.

The dirt road ended around the back of an outlet of stores, and they went around.

Danny looked up at Harry sweetly.

"Harry? How much do you like the color of your hair?"

And with that she grabbed Harry's hand and tugged him into a store smelling of perfume and something else that he couldn't place.

Harry was extremely befuddled.

_What the hell is going on?_

He heard Danny say to the woman behind a desk something that shocked him so much that he lost all ability to move on his own.

"I'm here for the hair bleaching appointment."

And the woman's reply of, "Sure, hon, there's a station open in the back."

And so Danny pulled him along, his feet moving against his will.

When they were almost there he finally found his voice he stuttered out, "Danny, I-I don't-don't th-think this is a good idea!"

She hissed at him, "Harry, shut up! Do you want to be mobbed in Diagon Alley?"

She had a point, he told himself. And so he willingly sat down in a chair with pink upholstery.

"We're here for his hair to be bleached, and then dyed..." Danny hesitated before deciding, "a light-medium brown with subtle blond highlights."

Harry sighed in relief. He had though for sure that he'd end like some kind of demented Weasley, or (shudder) a copy of Draco Malfoy.

So the stylist got to work, and Danny sat down in a chair opposite Harry's. She took out her latest favorite book (Harry could read from its binding 'Pet Cemetery'- he concluded it must be a veterinary book) and mouthed at him, 'Go to sleep,' and gave him a last encouraging smile before turning to her book and opening to the marked page.

When he woke up, it was two hours later (there was a digital clock on the counter) and Danny was grinning at him. She held a mirror in front of his face and his jaw dropped. He looked... wow. The lady had done exactly what Danny had told her to- and she had gotten it to stay flat, and it even covered his scar! Kind of creepy- apparently they had taken the liberty to dye his eyebrows brown, too.

"Like?"

After a few attempts at getting his mouth to work (he was still a bit shocked at the dramatic change), he croaked out an, "It's... different."

"It should- it took forever to straighten that hair of yours, sweetheart," the hairdresser interjected, indicating a steaming straightener.

Danny looked satisfied and thanked the woman, whom she gave a tip to.

After paying at the front desk and going out of the store and buying gel, which Harry assumed was for Danny, she turned to Harry.

"Okay, now I gotta buy a jacket. 'Cause, seriously, this is not how I want to get male attention," she said, indicating her half-dry shirt.

"Luckily, there's a thrift shop a few stores down that I've been to a couple times. Pretty cool."

Harry grimaced, for her parents had told him about how she got when she was shopping. Like the stereotypical female. He shuddered, and in his mind a funeral march sounded.

Eyeing him shrewdly, she scowled.

"They warned you, didn't they? Oh, so not cool."

* * *

LATER IN THE THRIFT SHOP

* * *

"Ooh Harry look, this is really nice, huh?" Danny held the item up for his inspection, though he had long before stopped looking at the items and just agreed with her assessment. However, looking at the clock, it was about 9:00, and he knew that they should leave soon.

It was funny, he thought, that they had been there about twenty minutes and still she hadn't even looked at a jacket.

Just then a yell interrupted his train of thought.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

The now brown-haired boy turned to see Danny hugging a (from what he could see) piece of black leather.

At his confused look she gave a grin and held the garment up by the hanger for his inspection.

It was a black leather jacket, something that looked like it belonged on a person who owned a motorcycle, and could easily cover someone Harry's size. It looked a bit worn down, which was expected, and since there were no obvious flaws Harry assumed that it might have belonged to someone now deceased.

Danny quickly took it off the hanger and tried it on, but her face fell. The sleeves were about three inches past her fingertips and the hem, which was supposed to fall at her waist, instead fell just past her butt.

Harry, alarmed at Danny's almost tearful expression, blurted out, "Madame Malkins!"

Now the blonde girl merely looked confused.

"Ummm…. Huh?"

"The place where you get the Hogwarts robes- they could alter it!"

As Danny grasped the idea, she threw her arms up in the air and ran around in circles. With a cheek-splitting grin on her face she repeated "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" over and over again, finally coming up behind Harry to quickly hug him before continuing her odd dance.

Harry grinned, pleased with himself, as they went up to pay the 13 pounds that the jacket cost (along with a few other trinkets that were declared 'must have one of a kind').

As they stepped outside with Danny hugging the oversize jacket around her and knapsack over her shoulder, Harry said, "Okay, now's my part."

They went around the back of the buildings again, and Harry retrieved his wand and stuck it out in front of him.

There was a sudden BANG! and a ridiculously bright light. When Harry's eyes cleared he saw Danny in a fighting stance, which he smirked at, and more importantly, a purple triple-decker emblazoned with the words 'THE KNIGHT BUS' on it.

As the doors opened Danny quickly dropped her stance- she didn't like looking like an idiot- and out popped a teen that Harry vaguely remembered from his third year's trip on the Knight Bus.

_Hmm, must have gotten rid of the acne._

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the witch or wizard. My name's Stan Shunpike, and I'll be your conductor this evening..." the conductor started.

Just as he started his next sentence, Danny interrupted him (she had no need to know the full history of the bus, just one sentence was fine).

"Yeah, um, can we just go to Dagon Alley?"

"Diagon Alley," Harry interjected smoothly. He didn't want to end up in Ireland or something by saying the name wrong (he had been particular about those things ever since his second year's escapade to Knockturn Alley).

"Well all right then," an unruffled Stan said, "and 'oo might you two be?"

Inwardly Harry smiled. It was working!

She gestured to herself and Harry as she introduced them.

"Danny and Jimmy Stoto. Why?"

She added the last part snottily because she was still a bit brassed off at the fact that the humongous bus had caught her off guard.

The conductor looked confused, and Harry was the question aside.

"Never mind it," he said genially, stepping onto the bus, followed by Danny.

"That'll be seven sickles and ..."

BANG!

The bus was on what looked like a highway, fitting through spaces that it shouldn't have been able to fit into and on one very memorable moment, teetering on only the two left wheels. This, of course, all happened in a matter of seconds.

Harry, like Stan, seemed unfazed by the ride. Danny, though at first caught off guard, told them that 'it was exactly like a roller coaster'.

"'Ave you two seen the papers lately? Wot there sayin' about 'Arry Potter and Dumbledore. I mean, I dunno, Harry Potter was on this bus two years ago, was'ne Ern?" Stan said as more of a statement, referring to the bus driver, who merely grunted.

"'An it didn't seem to me that he was crazy- though he _did_ use someone else's' name, now that I think about it."

Danny peeked over at Harry, whose face was twisted into some sort of tortured smile.

"Oh, did he?" Danny replied, amused, at least, until she noticed what Harry already had about what Stan had said.

"Get me a newspaper!" she demanded of the conductor.

Fumbling, he handed her a newspaper, and at that moment, the bus jerked to a stop, and he went off to help a Madam Gargantine off of the bus.

As soon as Danny looked at the picture, she knew that the contents would say nothing good.

"They. Have. No. Fucking. Right," Danny breathed, eyes scanning the offending newspaper.

At Danny's hate-filled exclamation Harry let his curiosity get the better of him and he craned his neck over Danny's shoulder to get a look at the paper for himself.

_**Boy-Who-Lived Following in the Footsteps of He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?**_

By Alyssa Naiell

_This reporter has gotten many eyewitness accounts on what had happened that day, the last day of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and they all point to one thing. Harry Potter, hailed for thirteen years as the Boy-Who-Lived, and destroyer of You-Know-Who, is turning Dark. One of the witnesses, a highly trustworthy Theodore Nott, then fourth year Slytherin, was quoted as saying that Potter was 'deranged, appeared dangerous, and was seen laughing at Cedric Diggory's death.' How could he have gone so wrong? Just how dangerous is our so-called savior, anyway?_

And on it went, rambling about how all the evidence pointed to Harry killing Cedric out of jealousy, or an attempt to 'steal the glory'.

Harry remained stoic, a look of stony indifference on his face as he turned away.

"Guess they found someone to replace dear old Rita."

But the burning anger that resided inside of him wouldn't go out.

"Crap!" he heard Danny yell, and turned in time to see the paper combust in her hands.

Danny looked at her hands in disbelief.

_I didn't do that... did I? _Both teens thought at the same time.

Then, they looked at each other and asked simultaneously, 'Did you…"

Startled that Harry had the same idea as her, she threw her head back and laughed, joined a moment later by Harry.

As the laughing had successfully broken the tension and Danny didn't feel like bringing up what the horrible newspaper had implied about Harry, she asked about Diagon Alley, peppering him with questions (most insignificant) and making comments ("newt's eyes are used in potions?") until they were (rudely, from Danny's point of view) interrupted by none other than the annoying conductor.

"So, 'ow come you have an American accent an' 'ee don't if 'ee's your brother?" Stan asked, looking at Danny shrewdly.

Danny didn't like Stan much, she didn't know why, but... she didn't. And so she was just a _little_ bit rude.

"Did I_ say_ we were siblings? Uh, no. Cousins, actually. As for the _American _accent, could it be because I lived in_ America?_"

Stan, taken aback by her startling rudeness, looked quite relieved when the bus screeched to a stop in front of the Leaky Cauldron.

After hurriedly ushering the pair down the stairs, Stan called out a quick, "have a nice day!" before the bus disappeared once more.

Harry looked at Danny, and then scolded lightly, "You _do_ now that we have to take the Knight Bus back, too, right?"

"Shit, you're right," Danny cursed angrily, looking chagrined, and then peered at him with a smirk on her face as she said, "Harry, you look like Dumbledork when you do that."

Before he could retaliate, Danny nonchalantly grabbed his glasses and strolled into the Leaky Cauldron.

* * *

A/N: So, what'd you think? I lessened the cursing a LOT, but didn't really get to expose many character/other flaws. But, my dear reviewers, I love you all, and a cheery AVADA KEDAVRA! Goes out to all flamers. Cheerio!


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